Automatic railroad-car brake.



Patented Dee. 23,1902;

no, 716,780;v

a. w. sruckm'. 'AuTomATl'c nAlLnoAnvcAn BRAKE.

(Application Bled June 3, 1902.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

/N VEA/TUR 2a/"ye mac/Wiz W/ TNE SSE S Patented Dec. 2 3, 1902.

Y G. w. STQCKIN. AUTUMAT'IC BAILRUD CAR BRAKE.

(Application med June 3, 1902.) A

2 sheets-sheet 2.

(No Modem' W! TNE SSE S A TIGR/v5' rs TH; mums Urns ce.. Pum'ourno..wnswnmm. u. c.

UNITED STATES ATENT rricn.

GEORGE W. STOGKIN, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

AUTOMATlC RAILROAD-CAR BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,780, dated December23, 1 902.

Application filed .Tune 3, 1902. Serial No. 110,071. Nc modal? To allwhom t may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. STOCKIN, a citizen of theUnited States,and a resident of Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama,have invented a new and Improved Automatic Railroad-Car Brake, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved raiload-carbrake which is simple and durable in construction, very effective inoperation, and automatically controlled by the movement of thelocomotive.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinationsofthe same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in'whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure lis a side elevation of the improvement as applied, parts beingshown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the brake-rod under the cars,the king-bolts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan viewof part of the brake-rod. Fig. l is an enlarged sectional side elevationof one of the car-trucks and the improvement applied thereon; and Fig. 5is a plan view of the same, parts being broken out.

The brake-rod A is mounted to slide longitudinally in suitable bearingsB, secured to the under side of the cars C and the tender D of thelocomotive E, and the forward end of the brake-rod A is coupled to thelocomotive E by a coupling-pin F, adapted to be withdrawn by theengineer in charge of the train to render thebrake mechanism ineffectiveWheneverit is desired toback up the train.

The brake-rod A is preferably made in sections, one foreach car C andone for the tender D, and thel sections are coupled together betweenadjacent cars and between the forward car and the tender D byturnbuckles A' or other coupling and adjusting devices.

The brake-rod A at each truck G of a car C is formed with a forward loopA2 and a rearward loop A3, and in the forward end of each loop A2 isjournaled a friction-roller H, and a similar friction-roller H isjournaled inthe rear end of each loop A3, as plainly shown in Fig. 2.Into the loops A2 and A3 `extend the upper ends of the brake-levers Iand I', pivoted on the rods J and J', respecbrakeshoes Land brake-beamsK are snspended in the usual manner by links N from the truck-frame ofthe truck G. The lower ends of the brake-levers I and I are pivotallyconnected with each other by a link O, and chains P and P connect thelevers with each other above their fnlcrum on the rods J and J', thechain Phaving one end secured to the brake-lever I and then extendsforwardly and around a pulley Q., journaled in a guideway R for thelever I. The chain then extends rearwardly to connect at its rear endwith the brake-lever I. The other chain P is attached to the brake-leverl' and then extends rearwardly around the pulley Q', journaled in theguideway R for the brake-lever I', the chain then extending forwardlyand connecting with the brake-lever I. (See Fig. 4.)

The car C is coupled to `the tender D by a coupling T, consisting of twomembers, of which one is secured to the car and the other to the tender,and the said members are each provided with a pin engaging alongitudically-extending slot in the other member, so that the memberscan slide one over the other. Now as the brake-rod A is not exible, butrigid its entire length,` it will be seen that when the speed of theengine is lessened the momentum of the cars causes the latter to advanceon the tender, and this movement is possible owing to the constructionof the coupling T, and when the cars thus advance the brake-rod A slidesrelatively to the advancing cars, as the brake-rod is held xed on thelocomotive by the pin F.

When the train is running, the brake-shoes L are od the rim ot' thebrake-wheels G', and when it is desired to brake the train the engineerreduces the speed of the locomotive, so that the cars in gaining on thespeed of the locomotive cause a rearward sliding movement of thebrake-rod A under the cars C, as previously explained. -Now on thisrearward sliding movement of the brake-rod A the friction-roller Himparts a swinging motion to the brake-lever I, so that the brake-shoesL are moved in contact with the rims of the brakewheels G to brake thetrain, `it being understood that the action of the lever I causes asimilar action of the lever I', owing to the connection between thelevers by the link O and the chains P and P. It is understood that whenthe brake-rod A moves rearward, as described, the friction-roller Hmoves away from the-lever I; but as the latter is connected at the upperend by the chains P andP' with the lever I it is evident that the leverI is actuated from the lever I to cause the brake-shoes L to move intobraking action. Thus the momentum of the cars C is utilized to apply thebrakes with a corresponding force to brake the train correspondingly andbringit to a standstill, if desired, or to brake it sufficiently to rundown a grade at the desired normal speed.

When -the engineer desires to release the brakes, he speeds thelocomotive to cause the coupling-pin F to exert a forward pullon thebrake-rod A, so that the brake-levers I and I are released from abraking position, and consequently the brake-shoes are moved out offrictional contact with the rims of the brakewheels G'.

As two brake-levers I and I are employed on each car-brake, it isevident that it is immaterial as far as the brake mechanism is concernedwhich end of a car is coupled to a car ahead.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. An automatic railroad-car brake, comprisingabrake-rod formed of sections, the sections extending under the cars ofthe train and coupled together between the cars, a coupling on thelocomotive for removably connecting one end of the said brake-rod withthe locomotive, and a brake mechanism on each car-truck, controlled bythe said brakerod, as set forth.

2. An automatic railroad-car brake, comprising a brake-rod formed ofsections, the sections extending under the cars of the train and coupledtogether between the cars,a coupling on the locomotive for removablyconnecting one end of the said brake-rod with the locomotive, a brakemechanism on each car-truck, controlled by the said brake-rod, eachbrake mechanism having a brake-lever adapted to be engaged by thebrake-rod, suspended brake-beams on which the brake-levers arefulcrumed, and brake-shoes on the said brake-beams, for engaging therims of the car-truck wheels, as set forth.

3. An automatic railroad-brake,comprising a brake-rod extending underthe cars of the train, and coupled to the locomotive, brakeleversadapted to be engaged by the said brake-rod, brake-beams on which thebrakelevers are fulcrumed, the brake-beams carrying the brake-shoes,links connecting the brake-levers on each car-truck with each other atthe lower ends of the levers, and a exible connection connecting theupper ends of the brake-levers with each other, as set forth.

4.-. An automatic railroad-brake,comprising a brake-rod extending underthe cars of the train, and coupled to the locomotive, brakeleversadapted to be engaged by the said brake-rod, brake-beams on which thebrakelevers are fulcrumed, the brake-beams carrying the brake-shoes,links connecting the brake-levers on each car-truck with each other atthe lower ends of the levers, and a flexible connection connecting theupper ends of the brake-levers with each other, the said flexibleconnection comprising chains attached at their ends to the saidbrake-levers, and pulleys journaled on the truck, over which pass thesaid chains, as set forth.

5. A tl'ain having a coupling of slidable members between the tenderandthe first car, in combination with a brake-rod detachably connectedwith the locomotive and extending under the cars of the train, and brakemechanisms on each car and actuated by the said brake-rod, as set forth.Y

6. In an automatic car-brake, a brake-rod adapted to be detachablyconnected at one end with the locomotive and provided with a loop undereach car, a pivoted brake-lever extending up through the loop of thebrakerod, a brake beam, brake shoes carried by the beam, and aconnection between the brake beam and lever, as set forth.

7. In an automatic car-brake, a brake-rod formed ot' sections coupledtogether between the cars and adapted to be detachably connected withthe locomotive, `each section being provided with loops at its ends,pivoted brake-levers projecting through the loops of the sections of therod, brake-beams, shoes carried by the beams, a connection between eachbrake beam and lever, and a connection between the said levers to causethem to be simultaneously operated, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I Ahave signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. STOCKIN.

Witnesses:

D. P. ALVAREZ, W. S. COOKE.

IOO

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